A Samurai's Past
by EternalSorrow
Summary: Troubled by growing shadows and haunted by strange figures, Kaoru realizes the truth may be linked with Kenshin's past. KxK
1. Beginning of Awakening

A/N: A short and slightly confusing beginning, but the pieces will fall together. Or fall apart.

Disclaimer: ...why are you asking?

**A Samurai's Past**

Beginning of Awakening

"Kenshin!" a young woman with long black hair yelled furiously as she stalked through the outer halls of the dojo, looking into closets and rooms. "Where are you! It's dinnertime, so you can come out now!"

"Have you found him yet, Kaoru?" a young boy with dark hair called out from the courtyard, causing the young woman to roll her eyes in frustration.

"Yahiko, are you sure you saw him go into here?" she questioned, shaking her head as another turn into a room ended with failure.

"Yeah, I'm positive" he yelled back, a slight bit of annoyance in his voice at her disbelief. "He snuck in there after the twins began to count. If you don't believe me then you can ask Sano" he spoke in a finalizing voice, stalking off to the main portion of the compound to eat his dinner.

Kaoru shook her head in disgust at the noisy retreat of her adopted sibling, returning to her search. She would have gladly asked the heavy swordsman where the samurai was but he had left with Megumi earlier in the evening, before Kenshin's disappearance had been noted by his absence at the dinner table. Now here she was, stuck looking through the darkened dojo alone as the sun had set more than an hour before.

"Kenshin, I can't believe you've been hiding for three hours" she grumbled under her breath, searching through a closet full of wooden training sticks.

Finding nothing within the outer rooms of the building, Kaoru turned her search toward the inner, and darker areas. With a string of curses upon the head of the samurai she moved deeper into the dojo, murmuring sweet revenge as she began to look through the various rooms and closets. However, as she continued to scour the night-blanketed rooms she became aware of a soft noise. Quickly looking behind her, only the dimly lit hallway met her eyes.

"Yahiko?" Kaoru called out, tilting her head to the side as she peered fruitlessly into the black corridor. "Kenshin, is that you?" she asked, her voice shivering in unease.

Hearing no answer, and with the sound apparently nonexistent, Kaoru returned to her work. However, her eyes now flitted among the shadowed corners of the halls in increasing suspicion while she looked cautiously around corners. When she had finally only a few areas remaining to check the noise began anew, though now the sound sounded closer than before.

"Okay, whose there?" she demanded, stomping her foot to the ground in her temper. "Sano? Yahiko? If this is your idea of a joke neither of you are getting supper for a week."

Silence remained Kaoru's only answer as she looked into the black abyss of the hall. Finally a simple yet wavering sigh escaped her mouth and she returned to her search undaunted. However, her nerves were soon shaken further as the noise returned, louder than before. With beads of perspiration running down her face she begin slamming open the doors of the rooms and closets, if only to distract herself from the noise. With each slam she realized, to her growing horror, that the sound was akin to someone breathing quietly, the voice raspy and deep.

"This isn't funny anymore!" she yelled out, fearful of looking behind her as footsteps now rang out in the hall.

Suddenly something brushed against her hair, startling a cry of terror from her lips as Kaoru raced down the hall. Forgetting her mission she sprinted straight ahead, an echoing laugh of insanity following her pounding footsteps and heart. Turning down another corridor she realized only one room remained ahead, her mind praying endlessly that whomever was following her wouldn't catch up before she slammed the doors behind herself.

Reaching the room and throwing open the final doors, Kaoru screamed as she suddenly fell over an object laying across the floor. For several seconds she thrashed wildly atop the object, her feet breaking the screens of the doors in her desperate struggle to free herself from the terrifying monster. Splintered wood flew about in all directions as a pair of hands suddenly wrapped around her waist.

"Oro..." a muffled voice spoke beneath her as Kaoru continued to scream, kicking at the moving mass beneath her.

Kaoru suddenly halted her movements at the familiar voice and word, turning her head slowly to look into the pained eyes of a certain samurai. With a rising blush she scrambled off of Kenshin, profusely expressing her apologies as she helped the somewhat injured man off the floor.

"Oh, Kenshin" she said with a quivering voice, shaking her head in amusement as her fear quickly fled. "Why couldn't you have hid somewhere else when playing hide-and-seek?"

"Oro" Kenshin absently repeated as he rubbed his sore side where her foot had connected. However, he froze in mid message as he looked to Kaoru's face. "Is something wrong, Kaoru-dono?" he asked, noticing her bright eyes and flushed face.

"It's nothing, I just got scared, that's all" she responded quickly, waving her hand in the air nonchalantly. However, her temper flared at the remembrance to her mission. "And what do you think you were doing playing hide-and-seek with the twins and falling asleep for so long?" she asked, her anger almost palpable. "It's dinnertime and the food's probably cold by now."

With some confusion did Kenshin's eyes look around them, the orbs growing wide in amazement at the dark shadows surrounding them. For a moment Kaoru thought she saw a hint of worry appear on his face but the lack of light allowed her little time nor ability to peer closer before he turned to her with an apologetic smile.

"I am sorry, Kaoru-dono, that I am" he spoke sincerely, standing to his feet and assisting Kaoru to her own. "I seemed to have fallen asleep with the fresh afternoon air. Did I worry you?"

"A...a little" she grudgingly admitted, brushing herself off as she tried to access the damage to the door. "Now I'll have to fix that tomorrow" she muttered, shaking her head at her foolishness.

"Allow me, Kaoru-dono" Kenshin offered, giving a small bow of apology. "But for now, I believe we should be going to dinner."

"Yeah, I guess you're right" Kaoru agreed, allowing the rurouni to lead her back the way she had come.

The two soon arrived at the main portion of the main portion of the house, neither having exchanged a word, and Kenshin slide open the doors to the eating area. To their surprise they found not only Yahiko but Megumi and Sanosuke eating at the table, pausing in mid conversation at the entrance of the others. Seeing the three sitting there with slightly guilty expressions on their faces, a suspicious idea entered Kaoru's mind.

"Did you three try to scare me in the dojo when I was looking for Kenshin?" she questioned accusingly, looking between the three already seated around the low table.

The table's occupants, however, looked to Kaoru in confusion, Yahiko speaking up first.

"What are you blabbing about now?" he asked, rolling his eyes in annoyance. "Megumi-san and Sano just got back, and look what they brought" he said, his voice raising in excitement.

Kaoru finally noticed a basket sitting at the far end of the table, food brimming from the top as several plates of delicious varieties were already laid out on the table. She narrowed her eyes, her anger once more returning but for a different reason.

"And what did you do with the food I cooked?" she asked angrily, now realizing the guilty looks were because of the food which was brought.

"Kaoru-dono, shouldn't we jus-" Kenshin began, only to be cutoff.

"The food was unfit to eat" Megumi piped up, sipping some tea from the cup before her. "I thought it wise to throw the stuff out and share what Sanosuke was bought at the market."

"Yeah, without my permission" the said swordsman muttered, though he flinched as the doctor gave him a sharp look.

"Fine, if you don't like my cooking you can fend for yourselves" Kaoru stormed, though she sat herself at the table. "Though I do thank you for the food, Megumi-san and Sano" she politely said, giving them a low bow. "However" she added, looking around the table through narrowed eyes. "That doesn't let any of you off for scaring me."

"Kaoru, were you listening?" Yahiko spoke as he began piling his plate higher with the food. "Megumi-san and Sano have only been here for a few minutes, and I was getting rid of the, um, food you had cooked."

"Well, someone was in the dojo with me besides Kenshin" she affirmed, though her words suddenly brought her great discomfort. After all, if Kenshin had been unconscious and the others hadn't been anywhere near the dojo, who had been making the noises behind her?

Shivering at her own thoughts, Kaoru shook off her foolish fear as nothing more than that and dug into the food with the others.


	2. Shadows In the Dark

A/N: About bloody time I updated this story.

Shadows In the Dark

Kaoru lay seated upon her sleeping mat, her eyes open and her ears alert. She had been unable to sleep following the strange and unexplainable occurrences earlier in the evening and now here she was with midnight fast approaching. The more she thought of the eerie sounds and the heavier an unsettling feeling grew upon her mind.

Kaoru had chosen not to alert her friends more about her encounter, staying silent on the subject during the dinner. However, she knew they were aware of her uncomfortable thoughts, Kenshin being kind enough to ask if anything was the matter as the dishes had been cleared. She had brushed off his question with a wave of her hand, not wanting anyone to worry about her. Besides, now that she was in the safety of her companions with warm light surrounding her she began to think of the episode as one of overactive nerves. She chastised herself on being such a childish woman, allowing the dark and Kenshin's disappearance to effect her so.

However, once the lights had been shut off and everyone had either left or gone to bed, the fears had slowly began to return. Kaoru had quickly changed into her night clothes and slipped beneath the cover of her bed, but the silent house around her had awakened her memories. So now here she lay, wide awake and waiting with an ominous feeling that something was going to happen.

As the shadows lengthened with a sliver of a moon showing through the shoji screens, Kaoru unintentionally held her breath. Then the young woman found reason to breath a quiet sigh of relief when she suddenly remembered the sword she had placed in a chest situated at the far wall to the right of the shoji screen door. She silently congratulated herself as she moved toward the large chest, the fear receding into the background as her tension eased.

However, Kaoru's terror suddenly returned as far off, almost out of her hearing, the sound of footsteps reached her ears. Her eyes slowly grew larger as her head turned toward the closed doors which led out to the hall, her breathing quickening with each repeating sound from without her bedroom.

Then as quick as lightening Kaoru scrambled toward the chest, her heart beating wildly as her hands frantically worked to open the latch. Finally she succeeding in undoing the roped lock and quickly lifted the lid just as the sound drew ever nearer to her bedroom. However, looking into the chest brought an unpleasant and distressing surprise, one which increased her anxiety as the noise within the hall pounded with the rhythm of her heart.

Her sword was gone.

Kaoru searched frantically among the pieces of cloth and torn mats which compromised the chest's contents but the sword was not to be found.

Shuffling at her door alerted Kaoru to the intruder's presence, her body stiffening as her eyes slowing turning to look at the closed shoji doors with terror. With a gasp she saw the silhouette of someone standing beyond her bedroom doors, the figure unmoving. Even the slightest hint of breathing was missing as she slowly rose to her trembling feet. Mustering what courage she could, the young woman clenched her fists and waited.

Then, as quickly as the apparition had come, the figure at the doors suddenly vanished. Kaoru blinked in confusion, her eyes registering the now empty space beyond her bedroom but her mind still waiting for the person to break into the room. Then as she slowly realized the danger was gone, along with the foreboding air which had permeated her room, she slumped down upon the floor in relief.

For a long moment Kaoru merely sat there, unblinking, as her quickened breathing slowed to a less energetic speed. Then she slowly crawled into her bed, shivering with a slight bit of remaining fear. Her eyes never left the empty doors as she pulled the sheet to her chin, falling asleep only after a few more exhausting hours of keeping watch.

The next morning Kaoru arose later than usual, her blackened eyes a testimony to her late night adventure. She prepared herself as best she could and hurried from her room, attending to the chores of the dojo even in her weakened state. Fortunately for her, Yahiko came to her rescue by entertaining the girls by taking them to the river while Kenshin and she did the wash.

Left alone with the samurai, Kaoru pondered asking him about her strange encounters the day before. She knew he had traveled a great deal the ten years after the Meiji Restoration, and hoped maybe he could shed some light on the problem. First, though, she wanted to find out if she was the only one experiencing the strange phenomena of late.

"Kenshin, did you hear anything last night?" Kaoru hesitantly asked, averting her eyes from the former samurai. Though she doubted less what she had seen last night than what had happened to her in the dojo, the morning light had once more dispelled most of her fears. Therefore she sought her friends' help only because she could think of nothing else to do and secretly hoped they could give an answer to her increasing dilemma.

"I did not, Kaoru-dono" Kenshin answered with some surprise, his eyes lighting up in concern as he looked to her. "Why do you ask?" he questioned, concern in his voice.

"Oh, it's nothing" she replied offhandedly, giving Kenshin a smile to reassure him. "I just thought you or Yahiko were moving around. Must have been my imagination" she added, turning back to the wash.

Silently Kaoru berated herself for bothering the former samurai, brushing aside any other thoughts of strange shadows and mysterious noises. If Kenshin hadn't heard anything within the house, then anything or anyone could not have entered the dojo. Also, the person would have had to walk past the rurouni's room to get to her shoji doors, a feat she doubted anyone could perform.

Unless, of course, whoever had been at her bedroom door hadn't been human.

With a small chuckle beneath her breath Kaoru once more focused on the wash, shaking her head at her foolish thoughts. One or two little episodes of darkness fear and her she was imagining about youkai and yuurei.

The two companions quietly worked on the wash, each apparently engrossed in their tasks and their own thoughts. However, both were soon disturbed by the arrival of Sanosuke, the usual grin on his face showing he had just come from Megumi's practice and had bested her in a rare win of wits. Kaoru looked wearily at the new arrival, wondering whether he was searching for his regular free meal or had merely come to visit.

"Hiya" Sano saluted casually, walking up to the pair with the smile still on his lips. "What are you doing?" he questioned, staring at the two's disheveled appearances from their washing chore.

"What does it look like?" Kaoru snapped, her suspicions growing stronger as the fighter looked to the house behind the two.

"What's for lunch?" he asked, almost flinching as Kaoru sent him a painful glare.

"Nothing if you don't work for your food" Kaoru commented through gritted teeth, ignoring the laundry as she squeezed an innocent rag between her hands. "Why don't you get Megumi to feed you?" she questioned, inwardly berating herself for her short temper. Of late she'd been giving Sano some leniency, allowing him a few free meals a week as a token of friendship. However, her lack of sleep had made her more irritable and the prospect of making food for another, when she knew her cooking was atrocious, was not welcome. She was just about to tell Sano to go find food somewhere else when suddenly, to her dismay, her stomach grumbled loudly, betraying her as the two men about her smiled widely. "Fine" she spoke, hanging her head as she dropped the rag and turning toward the house. "I'll go make something to eat" Kaoru commented in a defeated voice as she set off for the kitchen.

"What really brings you here, Sano?" Kenshin asked, carefully folding the cloths and dreading the dinner soon to come. "Not for Kaoru-dono's cooking, that it isn't."

"I can't fool you, can I?" Sano answered with a smile, seating himself on the porch near the former samurai.

"That you can't" Kenshin replied with his own smile, folding the last of the laundry into the basket.

"To be honest, I was worried about the little missy" he bluntly answered, staring at where she'd gone. "And Megumi was wondering how she was doing. Any idea what got into her last night?"

"I do not know, that I don't" Kenshin answered quietly, closing his eyes and shaking his head.

"Has she spoken about anything else since last night?" Sano questioned, his face growing more grim as the warrior nodded his head. Kenshin recounted Kaoru's earlier conversation, ending with the woman's dropping of the subject and her contemplative expression afterward. "And you didn't sense anything?" Sano asked, raising a brow as the samurai finished his tale.

"That I did not" Kenshin spoke, his lips firmly pressed into a line of worry. He slowly picked up the basket and turned toward the house. "But we mustn't trouble Kaoru-dono, that we shouldn't" he added, giving a pointed expression toward Sano.

Sanosuke nodded in agreement, following behind as Kenshin entered the house. By the smell wafting around the rooms each guessed lunch was almost ready, each dreading what new, or old, concoction Kaoru had created. To their fear the meal was soon called after the laundry had been packed away, both going to the dining room and sitting down nervously. Yahiko had obviously saved himself by treating the girls, his absence enviously noticeable.

"Eat up" Kaoru cheerfully encouraged, seating herself opposite the two men and helping herself to the slightly off-color food. The mean looked at the meal suspiciously but her improved personality gave the two companions courage, and the meal ended quickly with most of the food eaten.

"I'd better be going" Sano spoke up, standing from the table with his stomach gurgling in ire at its treatment. "Megumi will kill me if I don't help her with the more rowdy patients."

"How is her practice going?" Kaoru asked with interest, beginning to clean up the dishes from the table.

"Great" Sano answered, walking toward the door with a bit of a muffled groan. "I'll be seeing you two" he called as he opened the door and left.

"Let me, Kaoru-dono" Kenshin insisted, standing and stepping over to the woman. He had slowly began to notice her tired appearance growing worse during the meal, silently grateful the lunch had ended so quickly.

"I'll be fine" Kaoru argued, taking a step back to escape the helpful hands of the former samurai.

However, the instructor misjudged her footing, a rare occurrence in any circumstance, and twisted her foot as she stepped down. With a cry of pain Kaoru collapsed onto the mats, the plates falling about her as a pair of strong arms cushioned most of the blow of the floor. The bowls crashed about, some inadvertently cutting her as they bounced about.

Kenshin, his arms still grasping her small frame tightly, slowly lowered Kaoru the remaining few inches to the mats. His face was contorted with worry as he began removing the pieces of plate from around her, noticing the blood dripping onto the mats as he quickly grabbed a few clothes from the table. In a few swift, practiced movements he had covered the few deep scratches along her arms, with Kaoru sitting with patience and humility, and turned his attention to the real source of the problem.

Grimly Kenshin slowly tested the ankle, quickly pulling his hands back as Kaoru let out a sharp gasp when he touched an already swollen area around the bone.

"Is it bad?" Kaoru asked through gritted teeth, peering at Kenshin through slitted, pain-filled eyes.

"That it is" Kenshin confirmed quietly, placing his arms beneath the small woman and slowly lifting her up. "The bone is broken" he spoke, slowly carrying Kaoru to her room as gently as possible. "Megumi-san will need to look at it" he explained as he slowly lowered her to the floor of her bedroom. He quickly unrolled her mate and assisted in sliding her onto the soft surface, making sure she was comfortable before standing straight. "I will go get her" he spoke calmly, swiftly exiting the room and leaving Kaoru to herself while he fetched the female doctor.

"Just great" Kaoru thought aloud to herself when she was sure the rurouni was out of earshot. "How could I be so stupid?" she questioned, shaking her head in disbelief. However, even the slight movement caused a spasm of pain to shoot up her leg. Resigned to her fate of being bedridden, the woman sat still and awaited the arrival of the doctor.

Kaoru stared straight ahead, her eyes facing toward the doors which had so frightened her the night before. She tried not to think of the strange figure which had stood beyond but her imagination appeared to be uncontrollable, images appearing and noises startling her as she painfully flinched.

To he relief Kenshin arrived soon after, Megumi in tow with a worried expression on her face. The woman doctor quickly seated herself next to the new patient and began inspecting the swollen and bruised ankle, shaking her head in disapproval. The rurouni watched from a distance, quiet and alert.

"The good news is your bone isn't broken" Megumi explained, digging through a bag she had brought.

"And the bad news?" Kaoru hesitantly asked, afraid to hear of a permanent injury.

"Your bone has several fractures, which take longer to heal" Megumi commented, pulling out several herbs and a vile from her bag. "Rub these plants on your bandages every night" she instructed, pulling out some white, neat tape to wrap about Kaoru's ankle. "This medicine" she said as she held up the vile before the two, "should be taken once a day to prevent further infection."

"How long is this going to last?" Kaoru asked with concern, taking the vile from Megumi even as Kenshin took charge of the rest.

"A few weeks, if you stay off your feet" Megumi casually surmised.

"What!" Kaoru exclaimed, her sudden shifting causing another shooting pain in her foot. "What am I supposed to do until then?"

"You can always learn go" Megumi suggested with a wicked grin, standing to her feet with her bag in hand. "Make sure she stays in bed and gets out only with assistance" the doctor instructed Kenshin, her face and words stern.

"That I will" Kenshin answered, his face also serious. Both knew the seriousness of a permanent injury if the patient wasn't treated properly.

"I'll be back tomorrow to make sure my instructions are being followed" Megumi spoke, her tone almost threatening toward the patient. With those words the doctor left, leaving behind a very distraught woman with a concerned Kenshin as wet nurse.


	3. Reappearance

A/N: Been too long since I updated this story, and the chapter is only decent but with more plot.

Reappearance

Kaoru sat gloomily atop her sleeping mat, staring at the closed doors before her with venom in her eyes. It had only been a few hours since her injury and she was already bored, with nothing more to do than gaze around her already familiar room. In the course of her short imprisonment, as she saw the situation, she had counted the numerous floor mats and shoji screen squares several time.

For the first hour Kenshin had sat with her, trying to start a conversation but failing from her stubborn refusal to speak. However, he hadn't been deterred from his attempts to entertain her, Eventually, though, he had reluctantly stood up and announced his intention to clean up the lunch dishes, leaving her to her stony self. Now she regretted her action, wishing the samurai would return if merely to enjoy the company of another person.

For half a moment she thought of calling out and, hoping Kenshin was in earshot, hoping she would catch his attention. However, Kaoru quickly dismissed the idea, knowing he was being helpful and not wishing to disturb him from his work. That thought, unfortunately, made her mood even less cheerful, realizing she would be a burden on the household for several weeks to come.

Sighing loudly, if only to create noise within the silent room, Kaoru slowly lowered herself to a laying position upon her mat and prepared for a short nap. She hoped the rest would better her mood, and possibly Kenshin will be finished with his chores and she would have company. Thus those were her last thoughts as she drifted into sleep.

"How's the little miss?" Sano asked Kenshin, the two seated on the porch looking out into the courtyard.

The close friend had arrived later in the afternoon, after having heard the bad news of Kaoru's fall from Megumi. He had found Kenshin hard at work scrubbing the porch, the task allowing them to speak freely without disturbing the patient.

"She is asleep, that she is" Kenshin answered as he moved back and forth across the wooden porch, a brush in hand.

"I bet her mood was pretty bad when she found out she was going to be laid up for a few weeks" Sano commented with a smile, shaking his head. "That woman can't keep still at all and now she's stuck to her bed. You ever find out what's gotten into her, anyway?" he suddenly asked, giving a sidelong glance toward his companion. "She may be the worst at making food, but I've never known her to be clumsy enough to injure herself."

"I do not understand it either, that I don't" Kenshin slowly replied, stopping his work and shaking his head in confusion. "She is not so distracted by anything enough to forget her footing."

"Yeah, something's definitely going on" Sano suspiciously observed, his eyes narrowing in thought. You'll watch out for the little miss?" he asked, receiving a firm nod from his friend. "Good" he replied, looking up at the darkening sky and sighing deeply. "Well, I'll be seeing you later, Kenshin" he now offhandedly mentioned, pushing off from the wooden porch. "Megumi's probably gonna make me deliver all of Kaoru's medicines, so I'll be back tomorrow."

"Farewell, Sano" Kenshin replied as he watched the former fighter exit the courtyard, a smile on his face.

However, when Kenshin was sure he'd gone the rurouni slowly turned to look at the main house behind him. A both troubled and, strangely, interested expression appeared on his face, his eyes peering at the walls as if he could see through them to the person still silent within the home. His golden orbs for a moment changed color as he frowned, shaking his head and dispelling both the look at his thoughts. He then resumed his work, finishing with the porch and moving to the dojo.

The afternoon was drawing to a close, the sun setting in the background as Kenshin entered the building.

Kaoru shifted in her sleep, mumbling quietly to herself as a small smile came upon her lips. The expression quickly passed, however, as her face suddenly wrinkled up in an unpleasant face. Her movements became more prominent as her head began tossing from side to side. Her breathing grew rapid as her hands came up to block some invisible attacker, her mouth open in a silent scream.

Then her eyes shot open, revealing terrified orbs shining strangely in the dark room as she jumped up to a seated position.

Kaoru looked about herself in confusion for a long moment, her room unrecognizable due to the late hour. Her eyes soon adjusted to the lack of light, though, and she slowly shook her head.

"Just a dream, Kaoru" she mumbled to herself, her hand coming up to cradle her forehead. "More like a nightmare" she remonstrated herself, dropping her hand beside her and once more peering around at the room. She shifted slightly on the mat, suddenly realizing her ankle was bothering her more than when she had fallen asleep. "Must've moved in my sleep" she guessed aloud, the sound of her stomach suddenly interrupting any other thoughts.

"Kenshin?" she slowly called out, receiving no answer for her trouble.

Sighing Kaoru slowly attempted to stand to her feet, though the minute she rested a considerable amount of weight upon her injured ankle pain shot through her leg. Crumpling back onto the mats with an annoyed grunt, she looked about for some sort of stick to use as a crutch. Unfortunately, none seemed to be available.

However, Kaoru's eyes slowly turned themselves toward the chest close at hand, her memory reminding her the sword was supposed to be within the contents. She peered at the box suspiciously, though, wondering whether it held her weapon or not. Shrugging her shoulders in resignation, she carefully crawled over to the container. Slowly the young woman raised the lid of the chest, dubious about what she would find.

Thus, to Kaoru's surprise her eyes wandered over the short, blunt blade of her wooden combat weapon, the piece resting innocently upon the top of other items. With a shaking hand she slowly brought out the defensive weapon, her face holding her disbelief at the wood's reappearance. She looked in shock between the item in her grasp and the chest from which the object had been pulled, absolutely perplexed about its reappearance.

However, the grumbling of her stomach alerted Kaoru to a more urgent need. Carefully she stood, now using the wooden weapon as a crutch, and made her way to the shoji doors. The young woman slowly slid them open and stepped out into the hallway, seeing and hearing no one. She habitually closed the doors behind her and quickly made in the direction of the kitchen.

As Kaoru arrived at the pantry, she began to grow uneasy with the still silence of the house.

"Kenshin?" she called again, and for her attempt she received the same blank reply as before.

With the lack of response and the foreboding emotion weighing upon her mind, Kaoru quickly made herself a small, cold meal upon a light tray. She then turned and left the kitchen, leaving a mess behind her but planning to remedy the situation at an easier time. The hallway was soon covered and Kaoru glimpsed the entrance to her room.

The doors were open.

Kaoru stopped in her tracks, the tray in her hand slightly shaking as she looked to the open shoji screens. Then a noise came to her ears, alerting her to someone wandering around within her room. Quietly setting down the tray the young woman cautiously crept toward her room, the wooden crutch ready to be used as a weapon once more. She peeked her head around the corner into her bedroom, peering into the darkness and deciphering a figure beside her bed mat.

"Who are you!?" Kaoru yelled as she stepped fully into the entrance to the room, the weapon at the ready as she kept most of her weight on her good leg.

"Kaoru-dono?" a familiar voice asked, the figure turning toward her with slow and careful motions.

"Kenshin?" the young woman asked quizzically, lowering her weapon and tilting her head to one side in confusion. "What are you doing wandering around in the dark?" Then she was reminded of their place of meeting. "And in my room?" she questioned with a more threatening tone, narrowing her eyes in his direction.

"Ano..." Kenshin sheepishly muttered, walking over to stand before her. "The lanterns were washed earlier and I couldn't find a dry one, that I couldn't" he confessed in an embarrassed tone. "This lowly one had hoped there was one in your room."

"Oh Kenshin" Kaoru sighed, shaking her head in amusement and exasperation. "I think there's one in the pantry of the kitchen" she commented, stepped to the side so he could pass. "If you want I can show you where it is."

"I would like that" Kenshin answered, his voice projecting the smile which was certainly on his face.

"I guess I'd also like to stop wandering in the dark" Kaoru confessed herself, placing the wooden stick at her side once more and making her way down the hall. "Come on then" she commented as she tried to reach down and retrieve the tray upon the ground. Unfortunately, picking up the item proved to be harder than placing the tray on the ground, and she nearly toppled forward in her attempt.

"Let me, Kaoru-dono" Kenshin quickly offered as he stooped and carefully picked up the food.

"Thanks" Kaoru answered with a small, sad smile, continuing on with their journey to the kitchen. "I hate being so useless" she murmured aloud, knowing the rurouni would listen to her thoughts without condemnation of her complaints.

The short travel to the kitchen proved too short for much conversation as they arrived at their destination, Kaoru limping over to the pantry and retrieving the lantern. Kenshin carefully lit the oil lamp, illuminating the room well enough so the two companions could see one another's faces without much difficulty. Then he guided them both to the dining room, placing the light upon the table in the center.

"Much better" Kaoru spoke, rejoicing at their new found light. "What time is it, anyway?" she questioned curiously, moving to the shoji doors leading out to the courtyard and opening one. The darkness about them reminded her once more of the eerie feeling which she had previously acquired within the same room only minutes before.

"Past dinner" Kenshin answered ruefully, obviously also unsure of the time.

He placed the tray upon the low table, setting the items upon the wood in their proper arrangement. Kaoru watched his efforts to please her with a wide smile, grateful at his kindness and attempt to cheer her during her injury. When he had completed his task he gestured for her to be seated, helping her to her knees before the food.

"Don't you want some, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked, attempting to offer some of her sparse meal to him.

"This one had already eaten" he answered, seating himself opposite her.

With such a reply Kaoru dove into the food, happily eating both her own cooking and leftovers from the meal Sano had brought the day before. Soon the dishes were empty and the tea was gone, leaving the young woman with a full stomach and happy disposition.

However, the strange feeling of unease still bothered her, even with Kenshin's company.

"Kenshin, have you felt anything strange around here recently?" she slowly asked, settling back from her meal and looking to the rurouni carefully.

"Like what, Kaoru-dono?" he countered, his tone kind but with an underlying feeling of worry.

"I...I just feel like something's wrong" Kaoru explained, shaking her head in disbelief at her own words. "There's just something...wrong around here. I can't describe it any better than that."

"When did you start feeling this?" Kenshin questioned, his voice holding an edge of seriousness at her words.

"Last night, when I was looking for you after playing hide-and-seek" she replied, sighing deeply. "When I knew you might be in the dojo and I was looking for you, I didn't feel like I was alone in there. It felt like someone else was searching, but for me" she spoke, her voice slowly becoming a whisper. "It felt like I was being stalked by someone or something..."

For a long moment Kenshin remained silent, peering at her from across the table with strangely narrowed eyes. The light from the flickering flame of the lamp danced across his features, giving a deep and menacing look to his person. The picture startled Kaoru from her tale, her eyes growing wide with both fear and worry.

"Kenshin?" she slowly whispered, the name quickly dispelling the atmosphere and the rurouni's appearance.

"Yes, Kaoru-dono?" he asked in his friendly manner, smiling widely at her.

"What do you think I felt?" she asked, gripping tightly the wooden stick in her hand. Her companion's demeanor had scared her and she would not quickly forget his expression.

"I do not know, that I don't" he answered truthfully, shaking his head. "Though this lowly one will do everything to protect you, no matter what" he affirmed, his tone strong and full of protectiveness.

"Thank you" Kaoru replied, smiling widely at his gallant manner. She slowly stood to her feet, shaking away assistance from Kenshin. "I think I'll go back to bed now. See you in the morning" she bid farewell, giving a small smile and receiving one in return.

With her words spoken she returned to her room and lay carefully down upon her mat, her mind abuzz with the night's strange happenings. Thankfully sleep soon took her, leading her into an untroubled land of dreams.

Kenshin watched her leave the room with careful eyes, an unintelligible expression upon his face as he turned to look back at the lamp upon the table. He slowly lifted his hand and slid off the glass covering, reaching with his other and carefully extinguishing the flame.


	4. Deadly Injuries

A/N: Slow but sure chapter update.

Note: modern standards of yen are used: 1000 yen 10 US dollars

Deadly Injuries

The morning came all too quickly to the dojo as the sun filtered through the hallways and managed to shine through the thin shoji screens of the resident master. The raven-haired young woman stirred restlessly amidst her blankets as the light tried its best to awaken her to the new day, its persistent beams shining through her eyelids. She assumed the challenge and covered her head with her bed sheets, silently cursing the bright orb for rising so early.

Unfortunately, Kaoru knew she could not remain in her bed all day, regardless of her injury. With a heavy sigh she rose to a seated position and looked about, listening for the familiar noises of the house. With a light smile she heard Yahiko and Sano arguing in the courtyard with Kenshin futilely trying to make amends between them, the fight probably having started over a slight made by the loafing fighter. The young woman shook her head over the boys' antics, wondering if they would ever grow up as she began her usual morning regimen.

"Ouch" Kaoru grumbled as she rose from her sleeping mat, her arm reaching down to rub her swollen and bruised leg. She had obeyed Megumi's instructions by placing salved bandages upon her leg every night, but the preventative for infection had done nothing to halt the pain. "These are going to be a few long weeks."

Stubbornly, though, she rose from her bed and performed her toiletries, her injured leg forcing her to hobble or hop around the room. Kaoru was just kneeling upon the floor, attempting to roll up her mat, a silent refusal to be bedridden for the next few weeks, when Kenshin's quiet footsteps in the hall were heard by her ears. The young woman scrambled to complete her task but her hurried actions only bogged down her efforts as the mat became unrolled and the shoji door to her bedroom slid open.

"Kaoru-dono" Kenshin lightly scolded as he entered the room, his face full of worry and concern as he came to her side to assist in the task. "You should not be up, that you shouldn't" he reminded, earning a scowl from his wayward patient.

"I'm not that bad, Kenshin" Kaoru argued, reluctantly stepping back as the rurouni finished rolling up her bed. "I just need more time to do my chores" she conceded, cautiously standing to her feet to avoid a protest from her leg.

"Megumi-san advised you to stay off your feet, that she did" the former samurai reminded, causing the young woman to brush his words away with a wave of her hand.

"I'll be able to get around just fine" she countered, walking carefully over to her chest.

With some hesitation, for fear her sword would not be in its rightful place, Kaoru lifted the lid and was relieved to see her trusted defense weapon. Shuffling among the blankets and other miscellaneous other items, the young woman smiled softly as she found the object she desired. With Kenshin watching in curiosity did she pull forth a short walking stick, the wood smoothed to a shine and the top rounded off for a softer grip. She placed the tool in her hand and leaned her weight upon the staff, thus allowing for less pressure upon her injured leg and granting a large smile to her face in appreciation for her ingenuity.

Yahiko, however, ruined Kaoru's prized moment as he came rushing into the room, apparently done with his argument with his older immature opponent. He looked at the stick and his sister leaning at an angle, and the appearance sent him into a fit of laughter. The young woman scowled at her brother, lifting the stick off the floor and clutching the object close to her bosom.

"Where'd you get that?" the young boy asked, attempting to control his burst of amusement merely because the rurouni had looked disapproving at his behavior.

"My father" Kaoru answered, causing the room to grow silent at her words. "He made it shortly before he was killed. It's really the only thing I have left from him, besides the dojo" she quietly explained, her eye lids lowering at the sad memories the staff brought to her mind.

"It is very nice, Kaoru-dono" Kenshin commented, his eyes peering closely at the fine wood material used for the stick. "Your father was a very fine craftsman, that he was."

"Thank you" she replied, giving the rurouni a grateful smile as she placed the stick back upon the floor. "Well, I think I can get around just fine with this" she added, giving an encouraged smile to her companions.

Kenshin nodded in agreement while Yahiko looked uncomfortable, his foot scrapping along the ground as he hung his head. Kaoru watched with some amazement as her younger adopted brother slowly shuffled forward until he stood before her, his eyes still facing the floor.

"I'm sorry, Kaoru" Yahiko spoke, his words causing a soft smile of gratitude to appear from his older sibling. "I didn't know..." he added, his words trailing off as he realized he was merely making excuses for his rude behavior.

"Don't worry about it" Kaoru answered, ruffling his hair which earned a scowl from the boy as he brushed her hand away and looked upward into her face. "Now how about I fix some lunch?" she announced, causing expressions of barely concealed horror to appear on her two friends' faces.

"That's alright, Kaoru" her brother quickly replied, furiously shaking his head in the negative. "Kenshin already said he would do that for today, didn't you Kenshin?" he asked, turning toward the former battosai.

"I will attend to lunch, Kaoru-dono" Kenshin offered, though he didn't support Yahiko's question with his words. "There is a bath waiting for you, that there is" he informed, stepping to the side and offering Kaoru a path to the door and toward the comfortable washing he now tempted her with.

"I guess" she hesitantly answered, leaning more of her weight upon her father's staff as she proceeded toward the door. The two males inwardly breathed a sigh of relief at her acquiescence, but their hopes of escaping food poisoning were quickly squelched as Kaoru reached the doorway and turned back toward them. "But you better eat my lunch tonight" she added, smiling as she walked out of the room.

Kaoru, still amused at her parting shot, ambled her way toward the outside bath, the staff in her hand greatly improving her mobility. She fondly clutched at the stick's head, remembering clearly when her father had completed the piece and had proudly shown her before going to war. The young woman blinked to keep back the few tears which even now threatened to emerge after so many years. She would not and could not allow herself to remember her father with grief, rather than honoring his memory with the few happy moments she could recall.

Kaoru reached the courtyard and looked about her, enjoying the sunlight radiating from the sky. The day was too pleasant to focus on such a morbid and depressing subject, particularly since a warm bath awaited her sore muscles. Limping her way across the short expanse of open ground, the young woman opened the double shoji doors of the large bath house and was hit by the smell of heated water and moist air. The building was large to accommodate the dojo students, though at the current time she had only Yahiko to tutor.

Leaving her sandals at the entrance and shutting the doors behind her, Kaoru sighed and stepped upon the tiles of the floor to several stools and washing sinks situated in the center of the room. Several stacks of towels, along with a single, well-used bar of soap, were set at the ready upon a small table to the right of the doors, prepared for her use. The bath house was not gender-segregated, as was the custom in the area, because of the dojo's limited means and because she was the only female to use the building. She set her support stick beside the faucets and slowly seated herself upon a stool, wincing as her ankle complained about the added pressure. Quickly washing herself, using one of the many towels, the young woman hesitantly stood and walked toward a pair of shoji doors in the back of the structure. Opening the portals she smiled as steam hit her skin, soothing her muscles as she entered and closed the shoji behind.

Turning, Kaoru limped over to the large tub standing to her left, peering through the slightly hazy air and glad to see the tub full to the brim of heated water. Slowly she inched herself into the large bath, finally content as her body became fully submerged in the comfortable liquid. The young woman silently thanked Kenshin, pleased at the moment of relaxation she was able to give to her injured self. The heated water and the pleasant warm air nearly caused the strong woman to drift off into slumber, her eyes sealing shut as she tilted her head back to rest upon the side of the tub.

However, a noise suddenly stirred Kaoru awake, forcing her out of habit to open her eyes and peer about the room. She could see nothing suspicious around her, but she could also not decipher where the sound had come from. Strangely, though, she noticed the air around her was becoming increasingly heavy with moisture as the temperature of her bath began to rise. The only explanation she could assume was the boiler was being fed the wood chips.

Kaoru's assumption was proved true as she distinctly heard the sound of the large chips being scooped up from the large pile behind the bath house and placed into the boiler on the opposite side of the wall to her left.

"Kenshin?" she called out, frowning as no reply came. "Yahiko?" the young woman tried again, doubting her brother would be so kind as to kindle her bath.

Kaoru grew worried when, for a second time, there was no response from her call. Shifting uneasily in her tub, the young woman could no longer hear the boiler being fed and the air about her was thick with the mist from her water. The tub was several inches lower than when she had entered, allowing her breasts to be revealed as she folded her arms over her naked body.

Kaoru suddenly started as she heard a door quietly open and close, though she not decipher whether it had been the front or those leading into the bath. She trembled and shifted within the uncomfortably warm water, the air now completely veiled in steam. Her hands quickly gripped the sides of the tub as light footsteps were heard outside the room's entrance, the pattering eerily childlike to her ears. The young woman's eyes slowly turned toward the doors, her breathing shallow as her body stiffened in cold anticipation.

Then the shoji doors slowly slid open, allowing cool air to drift into the room and clear some of the steam away. Kaoru glimpsed a dark figure against the light before the portal was shut, the sound echoing as a coffin as she lay trapped within. The young woman, her eyes wide, watched as a shadow now lurked in the steam, watching her as a predator watches its prey.

Kaoru slowly pushed herself to the far end of the tub away from the figure, trying to make as little noise as possible as a plan of action failed to prevent itself. She tensed as the figure stalked the sides of the room, slowly inching closer to the frightened young woman. The woman felt herself stop breathing as the intruder stood still at the edge of her tub, their features still wholly masked by the steam of the room.

Kaoru, unable to handle the silence of the figure, opened her mouth to speak. However, before a word could come out the person stepped back, allowing the eerie fog to envelope their form. Before the woman's eyes the figure slowly vanished, the steam suddenly rising up for one last moment of blinding insistence. She heard no noise nor could the woman discern whether the door had opened to allow the person an escape.

Kaoru blinked in confusion as the steam began to clear, revealing herself to be alone in the bath room without a sign of the intruder. She finally breathed a sigh of relief and sank down into the tub, her tense muscles slowly releasing their energy as she closed her eyes in comfort. The thought of the figure returning, however, ruined the moment and forced the woman to stand and wrap her towel about herself. She hastily opened the door, distinctly noticing the noise of the sliding wood, and hurriedly clothed herself.

Much to Kaoru's pleasure she found her ankle to be less swollen and sore, but she forewent the trouble of irritating the injury again by grabbing her father's walking stick. Still nervous from her experience, the young woman cautiously walked out of the bathhouse and peered about the innocent courtyard. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary.

In a sudden fit of curiosity, and to hopefully explain the incident in the bath, Kaoru proceeded to the other side of the large building. Her target was the furnace which had fueled the steam, a new enemy to her as she recalled the effectiveness to which the intruder had used the warm air. She soon arrived at the open fire, its blaze now nothing but coals which puffed an unimpressive amount of smoke.

Peering at the fire, Kaoru shook her head in puzzlement at the innocent black rocks. She could not figure out how the steam had arrived at such an opportune time for figure to have disappeared. The only idea which came, unbidden, to her mind was of the supernatural, but she waved away the foolish thought. She had seen many strange things on her travels following Kenshin, but there was no such creature as a yuurei.

Kaoru, her nerves strained and her mind confused, stopped her futile perusing of the coals and walked to the house. Her thoughts kept wandering back to her emotions within the bath, when she had been defenseless against the stalking figure. She could not allow herself to become caught so unawares again, and vowed to keep her father's staff close by her side at all times.

Wandering through the doors of the main house, Kaoru happily saw Kenshin sweeping the halls. He never ceased to amaze her with his infinite amount of energy and kindness, a feat she knew she herself had yet to attain. The sigh which escaped her lips caught the rurouni's attention as he looked up from his work, his smiling face slowly being replaced with one of concern at he peered at the young woman.

"Kaoru-dono, what is the matter?" Kenshin worriedly asked, his eyes peering closely at the evidently shaken woman.

"I'm fine" Kaoru answered offhandedly, waving away his worry. Until she could sort her thoughts, she believed the best approach to her imaginative terrors would be to remain silent. "Can I help with anything? Does lunch need to be cooked?"

A flash of fear crossed Kenshin's eyes at the mention of her infamous cooking, but he was wise and practiced enough to change his attitude quickly. Instead, he opted for shaking his head and sweeping a few imaginary dirt piles on the floor.

"I am afraid the pantry is empty, that it is" the ex-samurai sheepishly revealed, silently hoping the lack of food would required the house members to eat out. To his horror, after he had promised to make the meal, he had found the cupboards bare. "Perhaps Yahiko could get us some food later?"

"Then we'll just have to go buy some" the woman asserted with a smile, glad to have some excuse to leave the stuffy confines of the dojo compound. She didn't notice as Kenshin's face dropped slightly, his hopes all but dashed at her words. "I'll get ready to go" she informed, walking off to her bedroom to change her clothes for the trip to the market.

"Yes" Kenshin meekly replied, leaning heavily on the broom after Kaoru's exit and silently mourning today's lunch.

The day was bright and warm as Kaoru and Kenshin walked to marketplace for food, the rurouni carrying the basket as the woman leaned heavily on her stick. Kaoru almost regretted her decision the moment they exited the walls of her home, as her ankle had bothered her greatly as she had prepared herself for the short journey. However, the day, and the lack of strange shadows, proved to be worth the effort as the couple arrived at the busy area filled with stalls.

Kaoru shooed Kenshin off to look for the long list of foods as she perused through the trinkets offered by the vendors, wishing to enjoy some personal time. Unfortunately, she saw nothing which especially caught her attention, though the disappointment proved beneficial to Kenshin's purse. She was just about to give up and try to find the rurouni when an incident happened.

"You seem troubled, young woman" an elderly voice suddenly commented, startling Kaoru from her thoughts.

"Oh, what?" Kaoru spoke, her head snapping up and looking about until her eyes fell upon one of the old shop women beside where she stood. She blinked in confusion at the shopkeeper, her eyes holding a puzzled expression. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?" she asked, hoping the old woman would rephrase her statement.

"Your eyes seemed far away" the shop owner explained, giving a wide grin to the troubled young woman. "Perhaps some troubles with your husband? My remedies can cure any ailment between you two" she informed, gesturing toward her wares set out before her seated position.

"No, it's nothing like that!" Kaoru objected, her face blushing at the woman's words.

"A lover? A boyfriend?" the shopkeeper began to wildly guess, quickly causing the dojo leader's attention to drift elsewhere. "I have charms for them all!" she advertised, sinking her hands into the many trinkets of the boxes.

"No, thank you" the young woman politely declined, giving a cordial bow and beginning to walk off.

"Wait!" the old woman called out, half reaching to grab the escaping customer. "Mayhaps your problem deals with something more than the living?"

The sellers question stopped Kaoru in her tracks as she blinked at the old woman's statement, her hand tightly gripping the walking stick. Those words echoed the thoughts she had held after the bath incident, when her mind had been, and was still, unable to comprehend what had exactly taken place. The young woman slowly turned around and peered curiously at the old woman, the other's eyes pleased at the reaction of her prospective customer.

"Ah, I see you have had some problems lately" she surmised, nodding generously. "I have just the things for you" she informed, digging among boxes of items which lay at her feet. "Maybe a necklace to spurn the evil or a Buddhist charm to ward off the dead?" she offered, revealing worthless items to the young woman's eyes.

However, Kaoru's attention was captivated by a strange book lying upon the bottom of one of the boxes. The title, dusty and worn with age, read "Vengeful Spirits And Their Reasons."

"What about the book?" Kaoru asked, pointing to the old leather-bound pages.

"Ah, certainly an expensive item" the old woman tittered, her face aglow at the prospect of much gain. "Perhaps the lovely lady would like to have for, say, ten thousand yen?"

"No, thank you" Kaoru smoothly replied, knowing she needed to haggle with the vendor if she were to have any hope of buying the item. "But thank you for the offer" she added, turning as if to leave.

"Wait, wait!" the old woman cried, lifting up the book and setting it out for Kaoru to view the object. "It is an old family heirloom, I cannot possibly sell it for less than five thousand yen."

"Alright" the young woman agreed without care, shrugging her shoulders and turning her back on the stall.

"Fine, fine" the vendor grumbled, dropping the book upon the wood of her stall table. "You can have it for one thousand yen."

"Deal" Kaoru answered, digging through her purse for the paltry sum.

Gladly Kaoru handed over the money to the vexed dealer, her hands eagerly taking the book as she set off to find Kenshin. To avoid any unwanted questions from her companion, however, she wrapped the prized item's title with the ribbon from her hair, effectively blocking the words. If there were any inquiries, she would merely say the book was for cooking.

Kaoru's face, though joyful when she had bought the book, slowly withered to a worried expression as she searched the market. She knew she would only be feeding a dangerous idea by reading the contents, but she had no where else to turn to for help. Perhaps somewhere in the pages of the book, she would find an answer to her haunting shadows.


	5. Rampant Ideas

A/N: My apologies for the long wait, as writer's block hit me on this story.

Rampant Ideas

Kaoru was noticeably silent as they walked back to the dojo, Kenshin's eyes worried as he kept looking at her with quick stares. The young woman, however, had her mind occupied with the book she held tightly, her mind wondering if she had possibly found the answer to her nightmare. The idea her father had returned from his grave, particularly because of his violent death, had arisen in her thoughts.

Kaoru inwardly shuddered, thinking her father had become a wandering soul, but the pieces fit well. All the trouble had started when she had searched for the wooden sword within the trunk, the container owned by her father, and had not found the item she sought. She had also been using the walking stick her father had made, without giving proper thanks, and had brought more wrath upon herself.

Kaoru was grateful for the silence Kenshin allowed her as they reached the street of the dojo, knowing he was aware of the problems in her mind. She regretted letting him mentally suffer by excluding him from helping, but she needed to handle the situation by herself. The couple turned into the courtyard and they parted ways, the young woman noting fatigue from the long walk with the cane.

Kaoru hobbled off to her room, her prize tightly in her grasp as she entered her keep and shut the shoji doors quietly. With relief she dragged out her mat and settled herself upon the comfortable bed, her ankle paining her some as she stretched herself out upon the floor. She placed the book in her lap, her eyes peering over the cover announcing the mystical information it contained.

Kaoru hoped the book contained ways to calm her father's spirit and return him to peace, possibly by a simple remedy of appeasement. Flipping open the first pages, she began to study the contents with careful precision. She went through the numerous tales of yuurei and youkai, and horrifying tales of vengeful spirits and loved ones returned.

Kaoru did not heed the time and the world passed without her notice, changing from the sun of the late morning to the sunset of the early evening. She was interrupted only twice during her reading, both times being Kenshin with a simple but delicious meal. The young woman had quickly hidden the book before allowing his entrance, almost ashamed of her superstitious feelings. She had gratefully eaten the meals, enjoying the flavor as the rurouni passed the time with chatter about the outside world. He had then left, allowing her more time for her perusal of the book.

Now the problem of light entered Kaoru's room as the sun dipped below the horizon, the space becoming too dark for her to see the words upon the pages. She was especially vexed as her reading had arrived at the area of causes and remedies, having taken her across the entire, immense spectrum of spooks and youkai. She was eager to begin the next part of the book, and so decided upon an almost desperate course of action.

Begrudgingly Kaoru arose, stiff from having been seated most of the day, and used the cane to limp her way to the kitchen. Her eyes scanned the thick shadows about the corridors as she went through the silent house, the others having apparently retired for the night.

Reaching the kitchen, Kaoru carefully searched through the pantry and found the item she sought. Her hand grasped the tiny lamp and she carefully walked to her bedroom, mindful not to spill any of the oil. She rarely used the light source, as oil was expensive in the area, but tonight she was in for much reading and knew a candle wouldn't last.

Returning back through the unlit hallway, Kaoru jumped as a noise suddenly hit her ears. She turned to look backward, her hand shaking the lamp in her grasp as she breathlessly awaited the return of her shadowy visitor. To her utter relief nothing presented itself and she resumed her journey, her nerves slightly frayed as she lit the lamp and settled herself once more on the mat. She opened the book and scanned the pages, now uneasy as the shadows danced about her room in time with the gas flame.

Kaoru read of unburied bodies and improper funerals, of broken promises and spells cast upon the dead. She shook her head and proceeded on, nothing matching her actions. Then she hit upon a single page which discussed personal objects of the deceased and the taboo against using those items for unimportant reasons. Looking to her side where lay the cane, the young woman wondered if she had been foolish to use the crutch for such a minor injury.

Suddenly Kaoru shook her head and quietly slammed the book shut, a soft laugh coming from her throat as she smiled.

"I can't believe I'm doing this" she softly spoke to herself, setting down the book and shaking her head in disbelief. "As if father would return because I used his cane."

Kaoru's chastisement of herself, however, was suddenly interrupted by a noise outside in the hall. Her head slowly turned toward the closed shoji doors as she held her breath, the lamp by her side flickering in an unfelt breeze. She slowly reached out with a trembling hand to the light source as another creak was heard upon the boards, the familiar shadow appearing on the other side of the thin screens. The intruder hesitated at the door, apparently perplexed by the light.

Kaoru thought she would give her hypothesis a try even as her other hand grabbed the cane close by.

"Father?" she quietly called, her eyes looking about for the appearance of his ghostly self.

To her dismay no one appeared, though thee seemed to be hesitation and confusion in the air after her question. She shifted on her mat, realizing she had guessed wrong and had given herself time to prepare for what the intruder planned. The young woman slowly stood and edged her way to the wall behind herself, grasping both the sword and the lamp in her hands. The lamp's light slowly slipped away from the door, allowing the unwelcome visitor access to the entrance without fear of discovery.

The shadow took full advantage of the momentary lapse of light as the doors suddenly violently slid open, startling Kaoru as her back reached the wall. She stiffened, preparing for a fight at long last, but was confused when the strange figure merely stood in the doorway, looking at her. The young woman shivered at the dark, glowing eyes which peered over her form, the look both venomous and hungry.

"If you have no business here, then leave" she commanded the figure, unwilling to allow its perusal any further. Yuurei or not, she would no longer allow the strange creature to come to her unchallenged. "Get out of here" she growled, now more in warning as she tightly gripped her cane.

The figure, unfazed by her words, seemed to chuckle lightly, as Kaoru heard the sound of a small wheeze of air come from the form. The shadow took a step closer, as if defying her orders, but remained in the full blackness of the night. Squinting her eyes and concentrating, she could barely make out the frayed edges of clothing at the bottom of their long haori.

Kaoru took a deep breath and, with a silent prayer, stepped forward, intent on showing she was not afraid. The figure seemed only amused by her action, their posture barely shifting as they watched her with their unceasing gaze. The young woman was nearly petrified by this creature she could not see and the noise of the being she could not hear. Even if she had proven herself wrong in the matter of her father, the intruder seemed bent upon proving her right in assuming something more than human now haunted her nights.

Kaoru was relieved, however, when the stranger finally stepped back into the complete darkness of the hallway, apparently aware of her perusal of their person. With a final chuckle they melted into the night, leaving her alone in the silent house. When she knew the intruder to be gone she let loose a sigh, her weapon and lamp dropping to her side in relief.

With a few shuffling steps Kaoru slowly settled herself back upon her mat, placing both items where they had laid. She lay down and looked to the flickering flame of the lamp, wondering about the latest encounter with her black stalker.

"Well, one idea thrown away" Kaoru thought aloud as she extinguished the lamp and rolled onto her back, lying awake for the remainder of the night.

The next day found Kaoru seated outside upon the long porch, her body sunning itself even as her mind did not wander far from the previous night's events. She berated herself time and again for her foolish conclusions, as she had only made a fool of herself before the very creature she sought to scare. The book she had placed in her chest, intent on throwing away her superstitions for a more solid adversary regardless of any of her previous ideas.

However, Kaoru could still not comprehend how the intruder had so quietly crept about the house and dojo. Her every step, even Kenshin's, made noise upon the boards as they walked the halls, the old wood protesting their weight. Also, the figure seemed to move with such speed they matched even the rurouni's abilities, a thought which gave her more worry.

Looking into the courtyard, Kaoru smiled as she watched Kenshin play with the children. Even after all their adventures and everything she had seen of the swordsman, she could not imagine him as the dangerous Battousai. He appeared barely able to hurt a fly, much less to slaughter so many men...

Kaoru's eyes widened as she looked with new eyes upon her beloved rurouni. He had killed so many men during the Meiji Restoration, though he had never told her specifically how many. Perhaps her troubles did not lay with her own past, but that of the samurai which now happily chased after the two kids. The shadowy figure had started when she had first gone looking for him in the dojo, and while he was about the house the figure had appeared.

Perhaps Kenshin's past life as the assassin had caused so many lost souls, one had managed to follow him to the dojo. Kaoru wracked her mind for the full text of the book which involved the return of vengeful spirits, and she was silently horrified to find the rurouni's previous actions may fit all the steps necessary to create a wandering yuukei. However, she could not be sure what had taken place until she learned more about his past.

Unfortunately, Kaoru now had the difficult, if not impossible, task of persuading Kenshin to speak of his former life. She had tried the feat several times before but all had failed, even during the moments when the revelations of his passed seemed most important to the situation. The young woman, however, had no choice but to try her best without explaining her current predicament, as she still could not bring herself to ask for help in a possibly childish instance of night fright.

But watching as Kenshin managed to catch and lift the two girls as they screamed in joy, Kaoru began truly to believe the samurai's past may indeed hold the answers she sought and the absolution from the shadow she needed.


	6. Final Outcome

A/N: The last chapter in this story, but hopefully worth the wait. A special thanks to those who had the patience to finish this story!

Final Outcome

The coming evening brought much worry to Kaoru as she began to fix supper. After her inward decision to find out more about Kenshin's life, she had found little opportunity to do so. He had stayed with the children until well into the afternoon, then had gone to the market on an errand with Sano. Soon, though, he would return for the meal and she would be able to speak with him afterward, perhaps she would even make some headway this night.

Kaoru sighed as she stirred the pot full of strange food stuff, her mind preoccupied while her hands made one horrid creation after another. Finally the meal was prepared and she could hear the voices of the two companions walk into the courtyard of the dojo. She scowled as she heard Sano say his goodbyes with a wise crack about her terrible cooking.

Kaoru was still angry as Kenshin entered the kitchen, his eyes brushing over the food with some hesitation. Yahiko was less polite as he came into the room, his nose twitching with more than a hint of disgust as he reluctantly seated himself at the table.

"What'd you do, let it spoil?" he teased with some sincere questioning as Kaoru began placing the rest of the food on the table.

"If you don't like it, don't eat it" she shot back as she sat down on one side of the table while Kenshin seated himself opposite her.

"Really?" he asked with hope in his voice, half rising and attempting to make his getaway.

However, Kaoru had every intention of letting him go. At least, for this meal.

"All right" she obliged, startling both males at the table. "But if you get hungry, there will only be leftovers to eat" she warned, an evil grin on her face. "I used the last of our food to cook this meal."

Yahiko stared at her in horror as his stomach suddenly growled in protest, but his face suddenly lit up in glee. He dug into his pockets and found a few loose change, enough to be triumphant in this exchange of words.

"Then I'll go buy my own food" he announced as he stood and left the room in a blur of motion, afraid Kaoru would stop him from leaving.

"Well, do you want to go to?" she asked Kenshin in an almost threatening manner, causing the rurouni to look alarmed.

"No, no, that I don't" he answered, picking up his own chopsticks with a soft sigh.

Kaoru smiled and shook her head as she began eating some of the, admittedly, terrible food. She was grateful Kenshin at least attempted to swallow her cooking, but even she was having a hard time choking down her concoction. With the two participants hesitant to eat too much, the meal was soon over. As Kenshin began to rise to take the plates to the kitchen, Kaoru stopped him with an outstretched hand.

"Wait" she said, catching his attention immediately. "I want to talk to you about something."

Kenshin, surprised by her sudden announcement, seated himself back onto his cushion. He patiently, though curiously, waited for her to begin.

"Well, I was just wondering about your past" she tried to ask in an offhand manner, but her question caught Kenshin's suspicion. "And, well, how many people you might have...killed" she added, regretting the word even as it left her lips.

Kenshin looked at her in silence for along moment, his eyes holding a strange expression. Then he stood to his feet and walked around the table to sit beside the ashamed woman, making her very nervous.

"Kaoru, I want to know, that I do" he softly replied, placing a hand upon her shoulder. "What has been bothering you?"

Kaoru was surprised by his sudden show of concern, and especially his hand upon her shoulder. He rarely made physical contact with anyone besides those who had tried to kill him, and yet now here he was trying to give her solace. He had even dropped the honorary title he so often used with her name, all to make her feel more comfortable. She felt tears come to her eyes at his sudden willingness to assist her in her time of trouble, and felt foolish for not having come to him sooner.

"I...I don't know" she honestly answered, turning her eyes from his penetrating stare. "It happened the night you were playing hide-and-seek with the girls. Someone was there, someone who wasn't supposed to be there."

"Who?" he questioned, his face and tone one of concern.

"I don't know" Kaoru replied, shaking her head. "Every time I see them, it's too dark to make out who they are."

"How many times has this happened?" he asked, his free hand gently cupping her chin and turning her eyes to face his gaze.

"Several" she spoke, a controlled quiver in her voice. "But they're getting worse" the young woman admitted, shuddering at the thought of tonight's probable visitation. "I...I need your help tonight."

"Yes?" he asked, his tone eager showing his eagerness to help her with her trouble.

"Don't laugh, but I think it might be a...a spirit" she admitted, a bit of a blush of embarrassment upon her cheeks. "And I want to try to talk to it tonight, but I need you to help me lure it into the dojo."

For a long moment Kenshin remained quiet, his eyes unblinking at he stared at her with an indistinguishable emotion upon his face. Then he slowly smiled and nodded his head, his hands dropping off her shoulder and chin while he stood to his feet. He offered his hand to her, an expression of determination on his face.

"I will help you, that I will" he spoke as Kaoru's face lit with a smile and she eagerly took his hand.

With Kenshin's help, she knew tonight would mean the end of her suffering.

---------------------------------------------

The night found the two companions within the dojo, both apprehensive about the coming confrontation. Kaoru had placed numerous lamps about the room to give light when the intruder arrived, to both give her comfort and provide light to recognize the person. As the last light was put into place, the sun sank below the horizon.

"Well, this is it" she nervously stated as the room grew into total darkness.

Kaoru had planned their positions so each would be standing next to a lamp should the visitor arrive, and both would be able to cast light upon their features. Then, if the person were truly a spirit, they would begin their communication with the vengeful soul. If her theory was proven wrong, they would still be able to adapt to the situation with each of their swords, placed next to them in the room.

However, even the best laid plans can go awry.

As the minutes passed Kaoru became more anxious, wondering silently if her tormentor would not arrive. She looked to where Kenshin stood, though with the limited light she could not see anything but the outline of his figure. The young woman was about to communicate with him when she suddenly felt a chill about the room.

"Kenshin!" she hissed quietly, afraid she would also alert the intruder. "It's here!"

To her utter horror, however, the figure she had taken for Kenshin suddenly shifted in their position. Their shadow seemed to lengthen even as Kaoru recognized the form which now stood before her eyes. She looked wildly about the room for her protector, but could find no trace of the rurouni's figure. Upon finding he had mysteriously disappeared, she could think of no further action but to question her tormentor. She swallowed her fear, pushed off the wall, and stood firm upon the dojo's floor.

"Do you...do you know Kenshin?" she asked, her voice revealing her fear with a slight quiver. To Kaoru's shock, and slight relief, the figure slowly nodded its head. "Why are you here?" she questioned, hoping the creature would be able to reply to more than a yes or no question.

To the young woman's horror the figure raised their hand and pointed at herself, while a small chuckle escaped their lips. She recoiled in fear and felt behind for her wooden sword, finding the weapon quickly as the person slowly lowered their accusing limb. Her fingers wrapped around the large stick, one point of relief in this ever growing nightmare.

"S-stay away from me" she spoke, wielding the stick but unsure how effective the weapon would be against the figure.

The figure stopped, but the sound of mocking laughter came to her ears. The figure himself pulled forth a sword, one which gleaned strangely in the limited light. Kaoru squinted her eyes, wondering why the weapon shined so unusually, until her eyes widened in absolute terror.

"No..." she spoke in shock, shaking her head as the figure took a step toward where she stood mesmerized by the shock. "Kenshin...it can't be you..."

"Ah, I had given you too much credit" the person finally spoke, their voice Kenshin's but their tone much darker than the gentle rurouni's own. "It finally took the sword for you to realize who I was."

"But...but you can't be!" she argued, not believing her own senses. "In the dojo, the bathhouse...how could you have done those things?!"

"Don't you remember, Kaoru?" the demon Kenshin asked as he suddenly appeared directly before her. He grabbed her wrists into one of his hands while his other arm wrapped around her waist, bringing their bodies against one another. "My god-like speed allowed me to pass you that night in the dojo" he answered as he carefully buried his face into her silky hair. "And I had set the wood atop each other so they would collapse at certain times to create the steam I needed."

Then the figure seemed to grin in the darkness, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. Kaoru struggled desperately to free herself, thrashing wildly about in his grip, but the person proved too strong.

"But I really must thank you, though" he said as his lips slowly began to move down the side of her face. "The fool had knocked himself out upon the dojo floor, and then at your calling, I awakened" the figure explained as his grip on her wrist tightened. Kaoru was forced to drop the weapon as she cried out in pain. "And with my chance, I couldn't leave such beauty alone by herself" he added, pressing her body against his own.

"You...who are you?!" Kaoru questioned, gritting her teeth as his hold became painful.

"You are forgetful, that you are" the person mockingly answered, his lips against her ear. "You have seen me once before, but only for a short moment."

Kaoru's eyes slowly widened as she realized who she now was dealing with and in what danger she now found herself in. The person holding her, the one who held the same voice as Kenshin, could only be the man-killer feared even so many years of the revolution.

The Battousai.

"Ah, there you are" the Battousai slowly spoke, realizing she had guessed correctly who he was. He released his hold upon her wrists, but not the one upon her waist. "But what will you do abou-"

Suddenly the killer of legend, one who had slain countless men for no gain but to test his skills, was dumbfounded. Kaoru had taken her arms and wrapped them tightly around his body as she had buried her face into his chest. He could feel tears soaking through the cloth even as his body began to tremble with confusion.

"What...what are you doing?" he questioned, looking down upon the woman who held him so tightly.

"Kenshin" she softly called, her voice tinged with pity and hope. "Please, come back."

"He is not here, Kaoru" the Battousai answered even as he suddenly began to grit his teeth in concentration. "I will not let him return!" he shouted, throwing her off his body even as he clutched his head in his hands. "I will not be left caged again!" he cried out, but Kaoru could sense a different tone in his voice.

"Kenshin!" she called out joyfully, rushing to the struggling figure. "Kenshin, please come back! I still need you to smile at me every morning! To help eat my terrible cooking!" she shouted, tears flowing down her face as she hugged the distraught person. "I still need you" she whispered.

Her final words soothed the beast as Kenshin halted his struggles and slowly looked up into her face, his eyes shining with their usual mix of pain and pleasure.

"Kaoru-dono" he spoke, smiling at her tear-stained face. He reached up a hand and gently wiped away a shining drop. "I'm glad to be back, that I am."

"And I'm glad you're back" she answered as she buried her face into his clothes, laughing in relief as Kenshin wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.

---------------------------------------------

The next day dawned bright and warm as Kaoru sat upon the boardwalk which surrounded the dojo. She hummed to herself an old tune her father had taught to her as a child, the rays warm upon her skin. The young woman looked up at the sound of footsteps and smiled widely as Kenshin appeared around a corner.

"Good morning, Kenshin" she greeted, standing to her feet and bowing.

"Good morning, Kaoru-dono" he agreed, his usual habit having returned.

"How are you feeling today?" she asked, a look of slight worry on her face. "I mean, after last night..."

"I feel fine, that I do" he responded, smiling at her concerned expression. He seated himself down upon the platform and Kaoru joined him. "He sleeps again" he simply spoke, knowing she would understand.

"Good" she replied, leaning against his shoulder as she closed her eyes in contentment.

However, as Kenshin looked up into the sunlight with a bright smile upon his face, his eyes flashed with a tinge of golden. Perhaps today would be a wonderful day, but night would eventually fall once more.


End file.
